Abstract. The article is devoted to the social and pedagogical factors in the formation of cadets’ readiness to perform service and combat missions in the process of socialization at a military university. The influence of the social surroundings (environment, family, etc.) is revealed. The importance of emotional work with cadets in the process of socialization is discovered. The work emphasizes the key role of career guidance work. Issues of collective education, curators’ activity as well as the cadets’ individual characteristics influencing service and combat missions accomplishment are described.